Senior Principal Lead Software Engineer

Saic; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 200,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

SAIC in Colorado Springs, CO is seeking a Senior Principal Lead Software Engineer onsite to direct software design, development, and testing across multiple mission-critical projects. You will mentor teams, shape standards, and push secure, scalable solutions in a fast-paced prototyping environment.

You will balance hands-on coding with architecture and technical leadership, collaborating with DevSecOps and data teams to deliver resilient back-ends, cloud-native apps, and robust front ends using

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 18+ years of software development experience; Master’s 16+; PhD 15+.
• 7+ years in back-end (Python, Java, C#, Go) and/or front-end (React, Angular, Vue.js, HTML5/CSS3) development.
• Expertise in cloud-native architecture and multi-cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Experience leading software teams on 2–4 projects, including gov/defense work and standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead software design, development, and testing for 2–4 mission-critical projects, ensuring on‑time delivery.
• Define software requirements, architecture, and deliverables with stakeholders.
• Guide teams in securing pipelines and delivering cloud-native apps with Kubernetes and Kafka.
• Provide code reviews, technical direction, and adherence to security practices.

Skills

Backend development

Frontend development

Cloud-native architecture

DevSecOps tooling

APIs & microservices

Leadership & mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Engineering

Master’s degree

PhD (preferred)

Tools

Git

Jenkins

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

Helm

Job description

Description

SAIC is seeking an experienced Senior Principal Lead Software Engineeronsite in Colorado Springs, CO to serve as theSoftware Leadfor multiple mission-critical software development projects. Reporting directly tothe Lead Systems Engineer, you will be responsible for providing guidance, technical direction, and leadership across several software development efforts in arapid prototyping environment. This role will balance hands-on technical contributions, team leadership, and input on software development best practices at the project level.

This position focuses on leading and delivering software efforts formultiple projects, while also collaborating with the broader technical organization to define and refine software development standards, practices, and tools for consistent implementation across the program.

Responsibilities:

Project-Specific Leadership and Delivery:

• Lead software design, development, and testing for 2–4 mission-critical projects, ensuring technical excellence and on‑time delivery.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define software requirements, architecture, and deliverables.
• Guide development teams in implementing cloud-native applications, web front ends, and scalable back ends using Agile methodologies.
• Act as a technical escalation point, conducting code reviews, resolving issues, and maintaining adherence to project goals.
• Work with engineers across disciplines (DevSecOps, software, data) to build secure pipelines and deliver solutions utilizing Kubernetes, Kafka, and microservices.

Standards and Alignment:

• Work with leadership and senior technical staff to establish and standardize software development practices across projects.
• Define and improve development tools, frameworks, and workflows to enhance productivity, quality, and security.
• Promote and implement secure development practices, including secure coding, vulnerability scanning (e.g., Trivy), and continuous testing.
• Provide critical feedback on code, processes, and designs during reviews and evaluations.

Hands‑On Contributions as Needed:

• Contribute to development by writing key code, resolving complex technical challenges, and creating architectural proofs of concept.
• Support rapid prototyping and provide engineering assistance during high‑pressure development cycles.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field and eighteen (18) years or more of software development experience; Master’s with sixteen (16) years or more of experience. Phd and fifteen (15) years or more experience.
• 7+ years of experience in back‑end (Python, Java, C#, Go) and/or front‑end (React, Angular, Vue.js, HTML5/CSS3) development.
• Expertise in cloud-native architecture and multi‑cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, DAF Cloudworks, GCP).
• Proficient with DevSecOps tools: Git, Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Helm.
• Skilled in building RESTful/GraphQL APIs, microservices, and event‑driven architectures (Kafka, RabbitMQ).
• Experience automating CI/CD pipelines with testing, security scanning, and deployment workflows.
• Knowledgeable in testing tools (JMeter, Selenium, Jest) for unit and end‑to‑end testing.
• Leadership and Collaboration Skills:
  • Minimum 3+ yearsof experience leading software development teamson 2–4 projects or prototypes simultaneously.
  • 3+ yearsworking with government, defense, and intelligence project development requirements and processes.
  • Experience partnering withProgram Leadership, other technical leads, and SMEs to establish consistent standards and ensure quality across assigned project teams.
  • Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, including experience with internal and external stakeholders.

Desired Qualifications:

• Master’s in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Cloud certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect.

Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.